Continuous enrichment cultures: insights into prokaryotic diversity and metabolic interactions in deep-sea vent chimneys

The prokaryotic diversity of culturable thermophilic communities of deep-sea hydrothermal chimneys was analysed using a continuous enrichment culture performed in a gas-lift bioreactor, and compared to classical batch enrichment cultures in vials. Cultures were conducted at 60 degrees C and pH 6.5 using a complex medium containing carbohydrates, peptides and sulphur, and inoculated with a sample of a hydrothermal black chimney collected at the Rainbow field, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, at 2,275 m depth. To assess the relevance of both culture methods, bacterial and archaeal diversity was studied using cloning and sequencing, DGGE, and whole-cell hybridisation of 16S rRNA genes. Sequences of heterotrophic microorganisms belonging to the genera Marinitoga, Thermosipho, Caminicella (Bacteria) and Thermococcus (Archaea) were obtained from both batch and continuous enrichment cultures while sequences of the autotrophic bacterial genera Deferribacter and Thermodesulfatator were only detected in the continuous bioreactor culture. It is presumed that over time constant metabolite exchanges will have occurred in the continuous enrichment culture enabling the development of a more diverse prokaryotic community. In particular, CO(2) and H(2) produced by the heterotrophic population would support the growth of autotrophic populations. Therefore, continuous enrichment culture is a useful technique to grow over time environmentally representative microbial communities and obtain insights into prokaryotic species interactions that play a crucial role in deep hydrothermal environments.     

Melatonin: neuritogenesis and neuroprotective effects in crustacean x-organ cells

Melatonin has both neuritogenic and neuroprotective effects in mammalian cell lines such as neuroblastoma cells. The mechanisms of action include receptor-coupled processes, direct binding and modulation of calmodulin and protein kinase C, and direct scavenging of free radicals. While melatonin is produced in invertebrates and has influences on their physiology and behavior, little is known about its mechanisms of action. We studied the influence of melatonin on neuritogenesis in well-differentiated, extensively-arborized crustacean x-organ neurosecretory neurons. Melatonin significantly increased neurite area in the first 24 h of culture. The more physiological concentrations, 1 nM and 1 pM, increased area at 48 h also, whereas the pharmacological 1 μM concentration appeared to have desensitizing effects by this time. Luzindole, a vertebrate melatonin receptor antagonist, had surprising and significant agonist-like effects in these invertebrate cells. Melatonin receptors have not yet been studied in invertebrates. However, the presence of membrane-bound receptors in this population of crustacean neurons is indicated by this study. Melatonin also has significant neuroprotective effects, reversing the inhibition of neuritogenesis by 200 and 500 μM hydrogen peroxide. Because this is at least in part a direct action not requiring a receptor, melatonin's protection from oxidative stress is not surprisingly phylogenetically-conserved.     

荒漠杜加依林冠层水热变化及CO2交换特征

选取新疆艾比湖湿地国家级自然保护区荒漠杜加依林为研究对象,利用通量塔连续观测数据分析新疆艾比湖流域内杜加依林冠层界面水热垂直变化和CO_2交换特征,进一步比较了冠层界面湍流碳通量、植物冠层储存碳通量及净碳交换量,探讨了不同时间和垂直空间序列下杜加依林冠层界面温湿廓线与CO_2交换过程的相互关系。结果表明,新疆艾比湖流域内杜加依林冠层上方大气稳定度生长季的6—9月为中性(z/L=0.009),非生长季为不稳定(z/L=-0.449),全年总体呈不稳定水平(z/L=-0.194);冠层界面上气温垂直变幅小于5℃,随高度呈递增趋势,湿度垂直变幅超过40%;地-气碳通量呈秋冬小春夏大规律,年碳收支高于干旱区平均水平,为-0.026 mg CO_2m~(-2)s~(-1),表现为碳汇;垂直空间尺度上垂直温湿度差与生态系统净碳交换量(NEE,Net Ecosystem Exchange)拟合较好,温度拟合结果为R~2=0.7350(P﹤0.01),湿度拟合结果为R~2=0.3627(P﹤0.01),水热变点分别为5%和1℃,而季节尺度上温度拟合结果较好,温度拟合结果为R~2=0. 5221(P﹤0. 01),湿度拟合结果为R~2=0.1716(P﹤0.01),变点为55%和18℃。生长季较小的冠层垂直温差有利于杜加依林对大气CO_2的吸收,而冠层高湿环境则会抑制杜加依林对CO_2的吸收。     

黄河口邻近海域生态系统能量流动与三疣梭子蟹增殖容量估算

增殖放流是渔业资源养护的重要手段, 生态系统与放流种类能流格局的变化研究,是进行增殖容量评估的研究基础.根据2012和2013年黄河口邻近海域的资源调查数据,构建了黄河口邻近海域6、8、10月的Ecopath模型,比较分析了3个月份该海域生态系统能量流动的变化,初步评估了三疣梭子蟹的增殖容量.结果表明： 黄河口邻近海域生态系统的能量流动主要在营养级I～III之间进行,营养级IV以及以上的能量流动较小.6月第I营养级整合系统流动的比例最高,8月最低.第II营养级整合系统流动的比例8月最高,6月最低.三疣梭子蟹相对能量流动和绝对能量流动均是第III营养级最高,三疣梭子蟹的营养级3月平均为3.28.黄河口邻近海域生态系统有较高的剩余生产量,6月最高、8月最低,系统的总初级生产量/总呼吸(TPP/TR) 3个月份分别为5.49、2.47、3.01,总初级生产量/总生物量(TPP/B)分别为47.61、33.30、29.78,同时具有较低的循环指数(FCI：0.03～0.06),黄河口邻近海域生态系统处于脆弱的不稳定期.系统的能量转换效率为7.3%～11.5%;渔获物的平均营养级8月和10月有所下降,3个月份分别为3.23、2.97和2.82;总捕捞效率8月最高,6月最低.在黄河口邻近海域8月Ecopath模型基础上,初步评估三疣梭子蟹的增殖容量为1.5115 t·km^-2.     

水热增加下黑土细菌群落共生网络特征

黑土是有机质含量高且肥沃的土壤类型之一,气候变化会显著改变黑土中微生物群落的结构,同时影响群落间的潜在相互作用关系.[目的]揭示水热增加对黑土中的细菌群落结构及潜在互作关系的影响.[方法]基于土壤移置试验,采用16S rRNA高通量测序解析农田黑土(原位黑土、水热增加1和水热增加2)中的细菌群落结构对水热增加的响应;使...     

Courtship herding in the fiddler crab <Emphasis Type=Italic>Uca elegans</Emphasis>

Male and female animals are not always complicit during reproduction, giving rise to coercion. One example of a system that is assumed to involve sexual coercion is the mate herding behaviour of fiddler crabs: males push females towards the home burrow with the goal of forcing copulation at the burrow entrance. We recorded and analysed in detail the courtship behaviour of a North Australian species of fiddler crab Uca elegans. Courtship was composed of four main phases: broadcast waving, outward run, herding and at burrow display. During interactions males produced claw-waving displays which were directed posteriorly towards the female and which varied in timing and structure depending on the courtship phase. We suggest that courtship herding in U. elegans is driven primarily by mate choice for the following reasons, (1) females can evade herding, (2) no other reproductive strategies were observed, (3) males broadcast their presence and accompany courtship with conspicuous claw waves, and (4) the behaviour ends with the female leading the male into the home burrow. As an alternative function for herding in U. elegans we suggest that the behaviour represents a form of courtship guiding, in which males direct complicit females to the correct home burrow.     

Distribution of tetrodotoxin in the xanthid crab (Atergatis floridus) collected in the coastal waters of Kanagawa and Wakayama Prefectures

The objective of this investigation was to study the distribution of tetrodotoxin (TTX) in the xanthid crab (Atergatis floridus) found in the coastal waters of Kanagawa and Wakayama Prefectures of Japan using mouse assay methods. We used 32 crab samples (18 males and 14 females) and toxicity was analyzed on 13 parts of the body of each sample. The muscle of chelipeds was found to be toxic in all the samples with a wide range of toxicity (5–237 MU/g), whereas the toxicity in the muscle of the cephalothorax was found to be non-toxic (below detectable limit) in all the samples [Narita, H., Watanabe, K., Baba, K., Ohgami, H., Ai, T.K., Igarashi, Y., Nara, M., Noguchi, T., Hashimoto, K., 1987. The toxicity of digestive gland of trampet shells inhabiting the coast of Shizuoka Prefecture. J. Food Hyg. Soc. Jpn. 28, 115–118.]. Further investigation of different parts of the chelipeds indicated that the muscle of the palm and carpus are usually toxic and that of merus and ischium are almost non-toxic. Toxicity of the muscles of palm ranged between 7 and 52 MU/g, whereas toxicity of the muscle of ischium was below detectable limit. Results from our study indicate clear contrast in the distribution of tetrodotoxin in muscles of different parts of the xanthid crabs, plausibly due to some inherent physiological mechanism. Further investigation is necessary to understand the mechanism responsible for such contrast.     

内蒙古黑岱沟露天煤矿植被恢复区生物土壤结皮的固氮潜力

氮素限制在陆地生态系统中普遍存在,在干旱受损生态系统中表现得尤为明显.生物土壤结皮是干旱、半干旱区受损生态系统植被恢复过程中的重要组成部分和氮源贡献者.以黑岱沟露天煤矿植被恢复区广泛分布的两类典型生物土壤结皮(藻类结皮和藓类结皮)为研究对象,通过野外调查采集样品,在实验室条件下测定了两类结皮的固氮活性,分析了其固氮活性对水热因子的响应特征及其与草本、结皮盖度的关系.结果表明：不同演替阶段人工植被及相邻撂荒地和天然植被下生物土壤结皮的固氮活性在9～150 μmol C₂H₄·m^-2·h^-1,藻类结皮(平均为77 μmol C₂H₄·m^-2·h^-1)显著高于藓类结皮(17 μmol C₂H₄·m^-2·h^-1).人工植被区3种常见植被类型下藻类和藓类结皮固氮活性均表现为“灌-草型”显著高于“乔-灌型”和“乔-灌-草型”.藻类和藓类结皮的固氮活性与样品相对含水量(10%～100%)和培养温度(5～45 ℃)均呈显著的二次函数关系,其固氮活性随水分、温度升高均呈先上升后下降的趋势,分别在60%和80%相对含水量时达到最大固氮速率,其最适固氮温度均为25 ℃.藻类结皮固氮活性与草本盖度呈显著的二次函数关系,草本盖度超过20%时固氮活性开始降低,藓类结皮固氮活性与草本植物盖度呈显著负相关.两类结皮固氮活性与其盖度均呈显著的正相关关系,随结皮盖度增加其固氮活性显著升高.露天煤矿植被恢复区两类生物土壤结皮固氮活性差异主要由结皮组成生物体即隐花植物的差异所致,不同植被类型下的水热差异及不同植被演替阶段草本、结皮盖度的差异是影响生物土壤结皮氮固定的关键因子,生物土壤结皮在人工植被区的拓殖发育及其氮输入是系统健康发展的重要标志.